Interlocking relay



Dec. 26, 1922.

F. E. LULL.

INTERLOCKING RELAY.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- HLED MAY 22,1918.

Dec. 26, 1922.

F. E. LULL.

INTERLOCKING RELAY.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- FILED MAY 22,1918- mywuxw Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATEN 1,439,905 T OFF I CE.

FRANK EDWARD LULL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILROAD SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

INTERLOCKIN G RELAY.

Application filed May 22,

To all to 7mm it may cancer-n Be it known that I, FRANK E. LULL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Interlocking Re lay of which the'tollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to relays and particularly to an interlocking relay.

One of the objects of myrinvention is to provide interlocking means tor an electrical relay which will be positive in action and prevent manipulation thereof to incorrectly operate the circuits cont-rolled therebv.

Another object is to provide a inczniani al interlock tor an electrical relay.

A further object is to provide an interlock tor signal operating relays which will prevent the signal being changed, until the relay is acted upon through the prop electrical circuits. I

A still further object is to improve interlocking relays for SllUtfGSSlIll commerciali use. i

ll accomplish these and. other objects by providing the contact fingers of an electri al relay with arms and mounting on the arms silii'iilar members arranged for cooperation, the various members arting to prevent a sec- 0nd set o't circuits being closed while the first is closed and. which will not prevent both sets of circuits being opened.

In the drawings Fig. l is a front elevation of an electrical relay provided with the preferred cmbodiment of my invention.

Fig. is a bottom plan View of the relay of Fig. 1 the bottom plate being removed.

Fig. 3 is a section on line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line alr of l, and

F is an enlarged elevation of the interlock of my invention.

Fig. 6 an enlarged elevational view of the interlock of Figure with the parts in inter-locking position.

In providing a signal apparatus with relays for the operation oi the si n ls by means of trains passing along tr it is essential especially on single track l nes to interlock the signals so as to prevent collision between a train entering a block in which another train is approaching from the opposite direction. The interlocks which so that a signal once being set by an approaching train is not changed until that train has changed circuit conditions to clear the signal. Also, the interlock prevents a signal being set in the opposite direction which sometimes happens when the train is passing rapidly over the various contacts in the track. I have shown the preferred embodiiaient oi my invention as applied to a two poke relay which is the type shown employed in operating semaphore signals on a single track railway. v

In the drawings, 10 designates a base portion which may be secured toa suitable support through the legs 11 preferably with the magnets in a vertical position. Mounted on the base M) are the magnets 12 and 1?. (in the underside of the base 10 are the arnn'ltures ol the magnets comprising elongated portions 14. 15, which are pivoted to the base portion for swingil'ig moven'ient. The armatures 14:, 15, carry contact arms l6, 17, which arms are provided with spreading jaws 18 19, (see Fig. 4t). cults of the magnet are normally closed, that is to say, the niagnets are energized. To operate the signals the circuits must be broken, or shunted, or the magnets otherwise deenergized. The magnets 12 and 13 are connected through suitable wiring and binding posts with the track rails so that a train approaching in one direction will (lo-energize magnet 12 and then 13, and after passing the crossing or highway or on leaving the block by engaging other contacts will energize both magnets. thereby opening the circuits to the signals. In like manner, a t ain approaching from the opposite direction will tie-energize iziagnet 1.3 first and then magnet 12. The de-energizing of the magnets naturally permits the armatures to drop. therefore. the circuits to the signals are closed and the signals connected with contacts 90 and F20 operated when the magnets are ale-energized. It will readily be seen that such an'arrangement permits a The electric cir signal to be set in the event the electrical current to the magnets is interrupted as would happen whenever the wires were cut or the source of energy stopped, the current acting to normally energize the magnets and retain the armatures out of signal ing contact. VVllEll magnet 12 is de-energized, the contact 16 drops thus making electrical connections through the end 19 and its mating portion 20, suitable wiring connections being made through the binding posts with signal set by reason of the contact between the points 19 and 20. it desirable to prevent setting or av signal in the opposite direction by contact being made between 19 and 20-" under magnet 13 as magnet 13 is deenergized in a relatively short time after magnet 12 when the train is moving in that direction. Therefore, it is essential to prevent the member 19 from making electrical contact with the member 20. To accomplish this is the object of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, I attach at the end of the armatures 1%, 15, forwardly eX- tending arms 21, 22, having depending front ends 23, 24:, the arms being arranged a slight distance apart. It will be observed that be cause of the pivotal mounting of the armatures 1st, 15, when the magnets are de-energized, the arms 21, 22 will drop. Pivoted on the lower end 23 of the arm 21 is a bell crank 25 the pivotal connection 26 being at the end of one arm. The other arm of the cran is arranged to extend upwardly at gimilarly, upon the lower end of arm is a pivot 28 that carries a reversely positioned bell crank 29 having an upwardly presented arm 33. For supporting the bell cranks and 29 in the positions shown in the drawings, 1 provide in each a slot that receives the pivot pin 28 or 26 ot' the other bell crank. Thus the bell crank 25 pivoted to the de pending end 23 of arm 21 and supported on the depending end 2 1 of arm 22 while crank 29 is pivoted on the depending portion 2 1 of arm 22 and supported by portion 23 of arm 21. Pivoted to the upper part of the portion 23 of arm 21 by a pin or similar member 30 is a dog 31. The dog is substantially crescent shaped in elevation, the pivot point being placed near one of the points preferably the lower which results in the dog being mounted in unbalanced position. The point is arranged adjacent tie upstanding end of the bell crank 29 with the other point overlying the pivot 34l of anothersimilar but reversely positioned dog 35. The dogs are pivoted and supported on the arms 21, 22, similarly to the pivot and support of the bell cranks 25, 29, but in reverse order. llormally-the lower points of the dogs and are engaged by the upper ends 33 and 27 respectively of the bell cranks 29 and 25 and maintained with the upper points out of engagement with the pivot pins 30 and 341. It will be observed that bell crank 29 is in front of crank 25 as seen in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 and that dog 31 is in front of dog lVhen arm 21 is dropped by reasonot the de-energization of coil 12, the depending portion 23 and its accompanying members will also drop. This tends to move the end 27 of crank 25 inwardly and the end of crank 29 outwardly pivoting about and sliding on the pin 26. it also causes the upper end of dog 32 to drop onto the pivot pin at by reason 01"" its support on the pivot 30. The lower point or end or the dog is nade suiliciently long so as to be engaged by the upper end 27 of the crank 25, when the end 27 is swung inwardly, the inner end of the dog 35 is likewise pushed inwardly and the outer end is raised from its rest on the pivot 30. Projecting between the dependim ends 23, 2 1, of the arms is a stop 36, securely tastened to the under portion of the base 10. This stop is provided on each side with notches formed by outstanding ears 3'? and 33, and with an upwardly extending wall 39, a

the stop being arranged in position so that as the inner end of the dog 35 is directed. inwardly by reason of the contact therewith of the upstanding portion 27 of the crank 25, the end will then overlie the ear the wall 39 preventing the dog 35 from being swung past its pivotal point and becoming inoperative. Vl hereupon, when magnet 13 is deenergizech'the arm 22 which. supports the dog can drop but a relatively short distance, which distance is that between the end oi: the dog 35 and the car 37 and which is su'llicient to move the point 13 out of contactwith the point 10 (see 1) but which prevents the point 19 moving into electrical contact with the point 29 ltwill thus be observed that a circuit is made by reason of the closing of the circuit through the points 19 and 20 and that another circuit, that controlled by the points and 20 is prevented from closing by reason 01 the interlock as above described. This condition prevails until the train reaches a point beyond the crossing or block where circuit conditions are changed in a suitable manner to energize both coils 12 and 13, whereupon the armatures 141- and 15 are drawn upwardly into contacting position and the electrical ci cuit through the points 19 and 20 is broken and the contact points are n'ioved to the position shown in 1, while the dogs and 35 and the bell cranks 25 and 29 are restored to normal position as shown in 11g. 5 oi the drawings.

A train approaching the opposite direction will de-ener ize coil 13 first whi h permits a contact to be a; ough points 19 and 20 controlled thereb the ope Lion of the lock being the: revers of that previously described.

ein

It will be apparent to those skilled in the,

art to which this invention pertains that once a circuit having been made through contact points 19 and 20, said circiut will be maintained and the closing of the other circuit, namely, that controlled by points 19 and cannot under any cir:aniistaiazes be closed to operate the signal controlled therelt is clearly pointed out herein that the magnets are both de-energized and remain so until the train reaches :2 point which will restore circuit conditions, that is, which will energize the magnets to break the circuit controlled by the points 19v and 20 and also raise the armature of the other i'nagnet to prevent the signal being moved by the circuit controlled by the points 19 and 20. An important feature of this invention, as has been observed, resides in the provision of circuit-controlling means so that whenever a circuit to one of the magnets is tampered with in any form the signal controlled by that magnetwill be set and cannot be changed until the circuit controlling same magnet is actuated in the manner described herein to change the signal set.

I am aware that moditicatiour; oi such a device may be made and I contt nplat such modifications as are embraced within the scope of the appended claims,

I claim:-

ljAn inter-locking relay including contacts normally held out of contacting position, magnets having armatures for controlling said contacts, arms connected to said armatures and movable therewith means carried by each arm for coopcrat' with the other arm to prevent movement or one arm into circuit closing position when the other arm has been moved fr in normal position,

2. An interlocking relay, comp ing circuit closing members, a c p, d curried by the respective circuit closing in nbers and movable thereon into paths inter-satin5: said stog and means carried each circuit closing .znember engaging the doe,- on the other circuit closing; member to move it into its said path.

3. i interlock for re comb. ation, circuit clo malty held out of contact-- p0, carried by each o'i' said members carried by each arm l e-r cimperative err-rage :nent with the means on the other arm vcherebfa to permit one ll inembersto close a. circuit and to prev her from closing circuit,

are out oi? normal position. In combination. means 1 ,iudin confor closing either two circuits. said 0 ncts being normally out of closing p0 Ition,v an arm carried by each COlitflliJ. an-tl the other contact is in circuit closing posit on,

in cans to prevent more than one circuit being closed at a i -iic, said means including reciprocating; arms, bell cranks, each bell crank being; pivoted on one arm and having a support on the other arm, dogs pivotally supported on each of. said arms in unbalanced position, the pivot of each forming a stop for the other, and a bar having notches for engagement by the shorter ends of said dogs, the bell cranks having upstanding portions to engage the shorter ends of said dogs and direct same into said notches when either of said arms is dropped.

6. In con'ibination, a relay including two magnets adapted to be successively de-enernia ement bv either of the members and i l. 23 7 leans also supported on the arms for directing one of said members into engagement with said stop when either contact is moveo into circuit closing position.

'7. An interlock for a relay, in combination, cont, ct members adapted to be attached to and movable with said contacts, arms ex tending lfrom said .lX'lQIRlJGI'S and. having wn'ivaidiy eXti-mding end portions, each of s:, d e1 having a bell crank pivoted at one end thereon, one leg of which crank is supported substantially horizotnally on a pivot with the other crank, the other leg of said crank extending upw'ardly, a dog pivotally connected on each ot the downwardly extending ends of id arms in unbalanced position, the lo u: end of each dog arranged to fall against the pivot of the other dog, the short ends of aid dogs adapted to be engaged by the upstanding legs of the bell cram; pivoted on the other arm, a stop pr iecting between said arms and havingr notches therein disposed near the lower ream: EDWARD LULL.

o. In combination, means to close circuits, 1

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